CenterPoint Energy provides power restoration update
National Weather Service confirms EF-1 tornado in southwestern Indiana
AUGUST 1, 2024
Evansville, Ind. – July 31, 2024 – CenterPoint Energy is providing an evening update following Tuesday’s severe weather in southwestern Indiana. The National Weather Service (NWS) has confirmed an EF-1 tornado, with peak winds around 110 mph, struck eastern Vanderburgh and western Warrick counties, causing extensive damage to the electric system and widespread outages.
Nearly 90% of customers have been restored with approximately 3,500 customers remaining without power. The company is expecting to restore power to nearly all customers by the end of day Thursday, Aug. 1. CenterPoint continues to prioritize the restoration of power to facilities vital to safety, health and welfare. More than 400 line-skills and vegetation management professionals have been engaged in restoring power to impacted customers.
The NWS has forecasted unusual heat and humidity levels continuing through Thursday afternoon. CenterPoint is working closely with local emergency management, public officials and the American Red Cross of Southwest Indiana to provide resources and cooling shelters for those in need. The City of Evansville has activated its temporary cooling shelter at the C.K. Newsome Center. In Warrick County, a cooling shelter has been activated in Newburgh at the Castle High School gym. Additionally, a cooling shelter has been opened at the Main Street United Methodist Church in Boonville.
The possibility of scattered thunderstorms remains this evening, with a chance of more widespread thunderstorms Thursday afternoon and evening. This forecasted severe weather may interfere with ongoing restoration work and could cause the outage count to fluctuate. Crews will continue restoration work as it’s safe to do so.
“We appreciate the community’s patience and support as we continue to perform essential work to restore power safely and efficiently,” said Shane Bradford, CenterPoint’s Vice President, Indiana Electric. “Our crews are working diligently to restore power to our customers, and safety remains our top priority. We urge everyone to take necessary precautions with the forecasted unusual heat and potential storms. We also want to thank public officials and emergency personnel for their ongoing support and collaboration during this challenging time.”
CenterPoint reminds customers if they have experienced damage to the weatherhead – the point of entry from the service drop to the home – a licensed electrician will need to make necessary repairs before power can be safely restored.
For the latest information on power outages, follow @CenterPoint, sign up for CenterPoint’s Power Alert Service and visit the Electric Outage Center for the outage map, electric safety tips
